Flightradar24 tracks global air traffic during crises and major events

Flightradar24, a Swedish flight tracking platform originally created as a tool to support a flight price comparison website, has become a leading resource for monitoring global aviation events in real time. Founders Mikael Robertsson and Olov Lindberg initially installed two receivers at their homes to track aircraft data, but the platform now relies on a network of roughly 58,000 receivers worldwide. It gained widespread attention during the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull volcanic eruption in Europe, when millions of users checked flight movements as airports were grounded. Since then, Flightradar24 has attracted large audiences during major events, from Malaysia Airlines Flight 370’s disappearance to the Covid-19 pandemic, and even individual journeys such as those of Alexei Navalny. Most recently, the platform experienced a surge in traffic due to the US-Israel conflict with Iran, which closed much of the Middle Eastern airspace and created narrow flight corridors over the region. The company monetises its service through a premium subscription model, commercial packages, and advertising, with subscriptions accounting for around 70% of revenue. Despite commercial interests, the platform maintains a strong free offering, supported by crowdsourced receiver hosting, which underpins its global coverage. With over 1.5 million paying subscribers and about 60 million monthly free viewers, Flightradar24 remains a crucial tool for aviation enthusiasts and professionals seeking real-time information on air traffic disruptions.